D&D General What would be the best and worst parts or living in a D&D campaign world?

[BookTenTiger]

Let's say instead of being born in our universe, you were born in a generic (or specific, if you want to go there) D&D setting. You are still YOU, but, you know, the alternate reality fantasy peasant version. So if you're a project manager here, then you're a... I don't know, barrel making project manager.

Anyways.

What would be the best thing about living in a D&D world?

What would be the worst thing?

Feel free to get specific about settings, too! What would be the best thing about living in Ravenloft? The worst thing about living in Planescape?

 

[Aldarc]

The worst: The stability and livelihood of your world regularly relying on a handful of adventurers following a prescribed adventure path.

 

[Shair-afiyun]

Best thing: Learning simple spells like goodberry or create water, being able to see various cultures and races.
Worst thing: I'm still a human. I might die to a house cat.

 

[Yora]

Gardener in Dark Sun.
Best part: If I can manage to get a job, I'd be set for life.
Worst part: If I can manage to get a job...

 

[toucanbuzz]

Ravenloft: you're trapped in a purgatory shadow-world where nothing good happens. Odds are a monster gets me.

Planescape: you're a Clueless Berk. Don't know what that means? Heh, Clueless. Pros: seeing the multiverse. Odds are I fall through a portal to some nether realm and am never seen from again.

Dragonlance: cool world with lots of great sites. I have ambition to see the gnomish flame towers on Taladas, but I get killed as background filler for some hero's epic story. The readers lament the destruction caused by the Dragonarmies upon my poor city and then keep reading about the characters they care about.

Forgotten Realms: I join a cult to have some excitement in my life. Elminster hires some heroes to take us out because he's too busy saving the multiverse.

Greyhawk: I dream about finding the Ghost Tower of Inverness and settle for my ordinary life until Rary does something crazy.

Magic the Gathering Settings: I refuse to live my life in a very obvious ploy to lure in the MtG crowd to RPGs. Then I get curious because maybe I'll get one of the cool powers. Then I realize that's only for PCs and go back to my rocking chair and complain about those loud adventurer kids.

Dark Sun: everything in Dark Sun is dangerous, even the common folk, and many have psionic powers. I revel in my newfound powers before I am carted away to spend my short life laboring on some sorcerer king's ziggurat project.

Dungeon Crawl Classics (non-D&D): I join the death funnel crowd with 15 other 0-level peasants with randomized stats and races and charge into some crazy adventure. I have poor odds to survive long enough to get a class level, but by Jove we're living on the edge and loving it.

 

[Voadam]

Worst thing. Mind Control magic.

Best thing. Probably magical healing.

 

[J.Quondam]

The worst part?
Dying. Then being raised, and then dying yet again.
I just can't believe that getting stabbed in the throat, or torched by a dragon, or scratched by a housecat, or whatever would be anything other than a superlatively crappy experience. No promise of coming back would make most deaths any more pleasant.

Granted, as a peasant I guess I wouldn't be getting raised. But still.

 

[BookTenTiger]

Best Thing: other intelligent species! It would be so cool to have a conversation with an Awakened Shrub or a dwarf or elf who lives for centuries. Plus everyone speaks Common!

Worst Thing: the wealth gap. Toiling away for a few copper a day while someone from a noble background starts their life with 25 gp and can afford a Healing Potion!

 

[Ulfgeir]

Best part:
Lots of wandering bards that will entertain with songs and stories.
Attractive elven/half-elven women
You can make it rich if you manage to find some treasure, or you can provide some kind of goods/services the adventurers want to pay for.

Worst part:
You basically can't travel anywhere due to wandering monsters.
Everything is dangerous.
Some adventurers might see you as just XP.

 

[MarkB]

Best: Awesome magical powers (if you're lucky).

Worst: No toilet paper.